Ruling On Movement Of Materials To Abuja Mere Pyrrhic Victory For PDP

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Rivers State Chapter considers Wednesday’s ruling of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja not to order the movement of electoral materials to Abuja for inspection as prayed by the APC and its candidate in the 2015 elections, Dr.. Dakuku Adol Peterside as a lost opportunity for the PDP to achieve their desired time-wasting strategy.

The ruling by the Tribunal confirms that every motion/application is carefully examined on its merits and ruling handed down accordingly. It also indicates that the rulings of the Tribunal could go the way of any of the parties depending on how the law sees each matter before the tribunal.

The APC believes that the overwhelming favourable rulings the APC and its candidates have so far received at the variously tribunals are a clear testimony that we stand on the side of the law more than our opponents do.

We lost the ruling to get the materials to Abuja for inspection but we won because the combined antics of INEC and PDP would have cost us further delay considering their time-wasting strategy from the very beginning to subvert the course of justice through unnecessary delays in order to exhaust the 180 days allowed for hearing and ruling on the matter.

The APC would have liked to credit the PDP with some intelligence for not celebrating the Pyrrhic victory it got in that ruling but it seems that they do not merit such benevolence as they have been reported to be celebrating it. Had the APC gotten that ruling, the PDP in connivance with INEC, would have been handed the opportunity to waste more weeks under the pretext of putting logistics in place for the movement of materials to Abuja. Therefore, PDP won the fight but lost the war because despite getting the ruling in their favour, they lost the time-wasting opportunity they have always craved for.

The APC believes that as we inch towards the next level of the process, the party and its candidates will ultimately retrieve each and every of our mandate stolen by the PDP on March 28 and April 11, 2015. Our joy is that reality has begun to dawn on the PDP already and this is glaringly demonstrated by the unofficial launch of a re-run election campaign by the governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike. Apparently, the main thrust of the governor’s campaign is woven around hollow, deceptive and dishonest quick-win projects aimed at deceiving unsuspecting and innocent Rivers people.

Chris Finebone
State Publicity Secretary
Wednesday, August 19, 2015